I don't think the solution is as simple as 'building more housing'(aka giving permits). It would drive down the prices somewhat, but what's to stop more engineers from moving in/shortening their own commutes etc? I think the term we're looking for is 'build low-income housing'. That would make it more likely that people who need it get it.
Poor Kids of Silicon Valley
31–40 of 280 posts
Re: Poor Kids of Silicon Valley
#32> Use these arrows to advance through the story. Uh, no.
Re: Poor Kids of Silicon Valley
#33Isn't the simple obvious solution just to build a lot more housing? More supply means lower prices.
A better idea would be to stop permitting any non-housing construction until the housing to job balance is restored.
Re: Poor Kids of Silicon Valley
#34It skips some important points. The cost of living is high due to zoning laws and a lack of building. Subsidizing families' rent will just make existing landlords richer. It would just drive rents up further. What is needed to get fewer people bidding on the same unit. If landlords are finding <1 suitable tenants per vacancy then suddenly it becomes a renter's market.
Re: Poor Kids of Silicon Valley
#35Re: Poor Kids of Silicon Valley
#36This may not be the most popular thing to say, but ... Just move? If you are the head of a large household living in an area where the cost of living is too high to support your dependents, you would do a whole lot of good for them and yourself by starting new in some other part of the country. At the very least it would be wise to relocate across the Bay. I realize that people have families, social networks, and sma…
You just think poor people should have to move out of their homes because rich people decided they want to live there. Got it.
> The same argument applies to people of all socioeconomic background.
Yeah, rich people get forced out of their homes because they can't afford them all the time. /s
Re: Poor Kids of Silicon Valley
#37It skips some important points. The cost of living is high due to zoning laws and a lack of building. Subsidizing families' rent will just make existing landlords richer. It would just drive rents up further. What is needed to get fewer people bidding on the same unit. If landlords are finding <1 suitable tenants per vacancy then suddenly it becomes a renter's market.
On top of more housing, we need better public transit. Start with running Caltrain every 10 minutes. Change local transit so that it becomes a feeder to/from Caltrain, BART, etc. And make it cheaper.
Source: http://www.jakecoolidgecartography.com/regional-rapid-transi...
Unfortunately, there is absolutely no chance of anything close to that being built in our lifetimes.
Re: Poor Kids of Silicon Valley
#38I dont get it. One person on video lives in nice bedsit (garage) and talks about homeless.
Re: Poor Kids of Silicon Valley
#39Re: Poor Kids of Silicon Valley
#40I don't think the solution is as simple as 'building more housing'(aka giving permits). It would drive down the prices somewhat, but what's to stop more engineers from moving in/shortening their own commutes etc? I think the term we're looking for is 'build low-income housing'. That would make it more likely that people who need it get it.